The Big Three automakers—Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler—come to mind when discussing antique cars. Back then, however, the US market was cluttered with vehicles made by hundreds of different manufacturers. The American Motor Corporation (AMC), Packard, Tucker, Kaiser, and Hudson are among well-known brands. However, some brands have vanished almost as quickly as they arrived. One of them is the Keller Motors Corporation.
A relatively short-lived venture, Keller was established after World War II. It ceased manufacturing in the early 1950s following the death of founder George D. Keller. A former sales vice-president at Studebaker, Keller set up shop in Huntsville, Alabama, and developed the Super Chief. Based on the Bibbi-Kar made by Bobbi Motor Car Corporation of San Diego, the Super Chief was a wood-bodied station wagon.
The grocery-getter arrived at a time when mainstream automakers had abandoned woodie designs in favor of all-steel wagons. While seemingly obsolete, the Super Chief was supposed to offer a cheaper alternative to the emerging all-steel cars. Using locally sourced wood and cheaper Alabama labor, the compact Super Chief was supposed to be substantially more affordable than haulers offered by the Big Three.
Keller had originally planned to construct 16,000 units in its first year and subsequently increase production to around 72,000 units, which would have accounted for three-quarters of the market at the time. But due to unforeseen circumstances, Keller only completed 18 automobiles before the owner passed away. The company vanished in the early 1950s after exploring several business opportunities, such as developing a Super Chief replacement.
While anonymous among woodie enthusiasts, the Super Chief is noted for a few innovations, including having the engine, transmission, clutch, and differential built into a single unit. The design made drivetrain components easier to remove and replace. It’s also regarded as the world’s first compact SUV, pioneering a segment that didn’t become popular until the late 20th century.
Come 2023, the Keller Super Chief is rarer than a hen’s teeth. That’s because far fewer than the 18 units built are still known to exist. Up until recently, only three survivors were known. That was updated to four in May 2023 when YouTube’s “Junkyard Dave” discovered a derelict Super Chief in a junkyard. The car had been sitting for more than 60 years.
It’s unclear why it was parked, but all those decades of exposure to the elements ruined most of the wooden rear section. To the point where it collapsed and needs to be built from scratch. Some body panels are also rusty, while the upholstery is toast. But the chassis and the front section appear to be in one piece, and, amazingly enough, the engine is still under the hood. And even though it’s dirty and stuck, it’s complete, and it will probably come back to life with a rebuild.
Hercules four-cylinder engines with displacements of 133 and 162 cubic inches (2.2 and 2.7 liters) were installed in the Super Chief before it was put into service. The former had a 49 horsepower rating. It’s unclear what engine drove this particular vehicle, but it mated to the Super Chief’s sole three-speed transmission.
Our host is committed to restoring the automobile to factory standards even though it is in bad shape and components are difficult to find. It is the second Keller scheduled for repair as of this writing. The fourth example is an unaltered original that has been stored since the early 1950s, whereas the third vehicle has already undergone some updating. It’s wonderful to see another one of these unique and undervalued automobiles being revived.